1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a powder refilling device, a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus that use a powder refilling device, and a powder refilling method, and, more particularly, to those using a powder bag to contain powder.
2. Description of the Background Art
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, such as, copiers, printers, facsimile machines, plotters, or multifunction machines (or multifunction peripherals) having at least two of copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile transmission capabilities, generally form electrostatic latent images on an image bearer (i.e., photoreceptor) with laser light and develop the electrostatic latent images with charged toner into toner images. Toner images are then transferred onto sheets of recording media such as plain paper, fused, and fixed thereon. Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses are refilled with toner as toner is consumed in image development. When toner therein is consumed, process cartridges, which typically include a developing device and the like, are replaced, or the process cartridge is refilled with toner. Replacing process cartridges is relatively easy although cost is higher.
To reduce the cost, there are refillable process cartridges designed to be refilled with toner by end users or third parties (i.e., service persons). For example, packets of refill toner (i.e., toner bags) can be available for users to refill their process cartridges by themselves.
Various approaches have been tried to prevent spilling or scattering of toner when users refill their process cartridges with toner from toner bags.
For example, JP-H07-134484-A proposes a toner cartridge that includes a refill toner container, in which a thin rubber bag containing toner is disposed, and a bag breaking member to break the thin rubber bag, thereby supplying toner to the developing device. Additionally, JP-H09-251232-A proposes a toner refilling device that includes a toner bag containing refill toner and a squeezing jig. The toner bag includes a handle at an end and stitch perforations at another end, and the handle is fitted around an opening of a toner tank. When the handle is pulled, the toner bag is torn at the stitch perforations, and the squeezing jig squeezes toner contained in the toner bag into the toner tank.
Additionally, JP-H09-251232-A proposes a refill toner container that includes a bag body containing toner and a guide board unit to support the bag body. After a toner chamber of the process cartridge is refilled with toner from the bag body, the bag body is compressed and kept inside the toner chamber.
The bag body is torn using a string constructed of a thread or tape provided inside the bag body. When the string is pulled, the bottom of the bag body is opened.